Cohen's idea: Make voter IDs easier to get

OUR VIEW

It has become an overused phrase in the past couple of years, so-and-so or such-and-such is "on the wrong side of history."

It is a good indication, however, that Americans are feeling some tidal changes in our society; for example, attitudes about marriage and diversity. Here is another: The forces that wish to put tighter restrictions on the right to vote are, indeed, "on the wrong side of history."

The state of Tennessee, sadly, at this moment is, well - insert the cliche here.

Since the state Supreme Court earlier this month upheld Tennessee's 2-year-old voter ID law, advocates for voting rights have been exploring their slim options. Appealing such rulings to the U.S. Supreme Court is neither easy nor inexpensive, and the injured parties in this matter are for the most part, elderly, low-income or college students with few resources and pressing priorities. And Tennessee is only one among several states that have enacted partisan voting restrictions.

And so we should commend U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen of Memphis for seeking a balanced solution by proposing that Congress amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 - the "motor voter law." Cohen's proposal does not drop the photo ID requirement that is the core of Tennessee's law, but it would increase the number of sites where people can get the photo ID and ensure that the ID is free.

If proponents of voter ID restrictions are to be believed when they say they are only worried about voter fraud, there should be no objection to expanding the number of authorized sites to obtain voter IDs or to requiring that the current sites fully explain ID requirements to visitors.

Undoubtedly, it would be a relief to the state's driver's license centers and their patrons, as well. Perhaps the waiting lines at these facilities would shorten by a few hours.

Cohen's "Voter ID Accessibility Act" will see tough sledding in the House of Representatives, since (a) it comes from a Democrat; and (b) Congress doesn't generally pass any legislation these days until all attempts at obstruction have been exhausted.

But we like its long-term prospects nonetheless. The U.S. Supreme Court's misguided decision last summer to gut the Voting Rights Act was a wake-up call. The U.S. Justice Department is challenging voter restrictions imposed in Texas and North Carolina, and others are likely. It will take the legislative branch to eventually fix the hash of restrictive voter laws.

Even Congress must eventually acknowledge the nation's demographics are changing, and that attempts to influence the outcomes of elections by shutting out voices, instead of trying to win them over, must ultimately fail.

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Cohen's idea: Make voter IDs easier to get

If proponents of voter ID restrictions are to be believed when they say they are only worried about voter fraud, there should be no objection to expanding the number of authorized sites to obtain